Broken Glass
by DemonFox38
Summary: When an assasination attempt against Sheena is foiled, Regal falls severely ill. It seems much more is at play here than mere revenge, howeverwho needs a convict? Sheelos, Colloyd, Slightly Gesea.
1. The First Rule

**Broken Glass**

_Hearts can't be made practical until they can be made unbreakable . . . _

**Legal Crap:**

_I don't own ToS. Now the hounds aren't out to get me._

**Chapter 1: The First Rule**

"Hah! Got it!"

It was another typical battle upon the grassy fields of Tethe'alla. There was an innumerable amount of monsters living in these serene places, much to the distress of the continent's citizens. They believed that these beasts had sprung up out of nowhere, that it was possibly fate or the Church of Martel's fault. Monsters had never been a problem up until a few years ago, when the Chosen of Mana was selected for Tethe'alla. Perhaps it was Zelos's fault that all this hell was raging in a period of prosperity.

But Regal Bryant knew better than that. There had been monsters before this. They were just hidden behind human flesh.

Bryant had fallen into a series of bad times as of late—maybe not as bad as his prison sentence, but it could questionably turn for the worse. First, the pope had summoned him to collect Sylverant's Chosen of Mana so that a foe of his would be arrested. That had quickly spiraled into the toilet. As soon as he did meet up with the Chosen, he found that she had joined forces with Presea Combatir. He could not possibly hurt her family again, but the pope insisted that the only way he would be freed would be by catching the poor angel child. So, he went hunting for her again, and met up with her party in the dreaded Gaoracchia Forest maze. However, he had quickly been outnumbered and defeated. Worse, he was taken captive by this rag-tag band.

Oh, well. At least they were civil to him. All they required Regal to do was fight, keep away from the two Chosens, and occasionally cook. It was strange how they trusted a known convict with their own food. Sometimes, they would open up their conversations enough to talk with him. He afraid he was a bit too philosophical with them, though—most were either bored or confused with what he said. Sometimes, that made the shackles around his wrists bind just a little bit more.

Once again, another battle had occurred. Nobody was hurt, thankfully. In fact, it went over pretty easily. Nobody had to come to the sagacious Raine to be healed, and no mana had to be burned over the battle. Regal fought his battles silently, never attracting too much attention to himself. It was better to keep low-key in this group. There was no way he could tell whether or not they hated him, but he didn't want to test it.

"God, I just get even sexier after battle!", the Chosen of Tethe'alla boomed. Zelos wasn't built like a fighter; rather, he was like a very beautiful man. He let his red spiraling hair grow down to his waist, and always wore pink and white. Zelos knew he was attractive, too. He flaunted it like a tacky ring, much to the distaste of many women.

Regal only smiled, glad to see the Chosen happy. It kind of burned him on the inside, a jealous envy of the freedom Zelos had from his morals. Sometimes, he looked back on the life he had before his tangled affair with the government, and he wished that he had lived so freely. He felt like he lost a lot of time rotting in a dungeon cell.

Sheena, the gracious and gorgeous summoner from Mizuho, was equally excited, "Yeah, that was kind of easy." She kept her hair up in a traditional style, black hair flying every which way when it escaped her hairdo. Her brown eyes were almost lit up with a passionate fire, reflecting her inner will and power. Exotic clothes amplified her natural beauty, almost a little too much.

"Don't get too cocky, Sheena," Raine rebuked, "We may not be so fortunate next time." Raine was like the group's mother, always watching out for them and healing their wounds. There were several other sides to her than just that one, though. She also enjoyed excavating ruins as much as Indiana Jones himself. She wouldn't take crap from anyone, and demanded that everyone always view their situation with a scrutinizing eye. She dressed simply enough, almost like a shell to hide her vast intelligence.

"Ah, come on, Raine!" her little brother Genis argued with her. He was barely tall enough to come to Regal's elbows, but he packed a serious wallop with his magic powers. Most people believe that those of elven blood have these skills naturally, like if they were double-jointed. Genis was also a little firecracker, quick to understand any problems. His enthusiasm was off the wall, which sometimes was a bane.

Zelos smiled at Genis, a rare sight, and "Well, on the other hand, your sister is right. You could have been eaten up, squirt!" To say the least, Zelos didn't exactly get along with guys the best. Genis irritated him to no end, and Lloyd was prime competition for the ladies. In Zelos's eyes, Regal hadn't been dubbed a threat, so he didn't actively torment the prisoner. He was much too quiet, and that convict background defiantly wasn't attractive. However, Zelos did get unnerved when he thought that maybe girls might like the silent, mysterious type better . . .He just tried not to think about it.

The party was in a rather chatty mood, especially worked up after battles. Regal listened intently for the most part, just glad to be back in civilization. The Chosen named Colette especially got wound up, jumping around and describing everything in great detail. Her eyes always sparkled a shade bluer when she was happy. Somehow, she was able to always keep clean, her blonde hair and white dress clear of dust.

Today, Colette was curious about the land, "So, Sheena, what kind of flowers grow out here?"

"Flowers?" that was a strange question to Sheena. She really didn't take time to notice feminine things; she was always caught up in her work. Shrugging, she replied, "I'm not the person to ask that. Try the gigolo."

Gigolo was no offense to Zelos Wilder, "We have very pretty flowers here . . ." He stopped along the road to grab a handful of yellow blossoms, "Like these little buttercups here. They match your hair so well!" He proceeded to put them in her hair, and she flew into another spurt of giggles.

Genis rolled his eyes, talking to the pink-haired girl next to him, "Do you like flowers, Presea?"

Presea barely gained her true consciousness a little while ago. She had spent an unknown amount of time under an exsphere experiment, and it recently her exsphere had been fixed and equipped properly. Her large eyes were still a bit too cold, and she was trying to relearn emotions. Her heart and memories were there, though, so she was human in that sense. She didn't exactly understand why Regal seemed to treat her like a small adult, but she enjoyed being equal to somebody.

As for Genis, she never really could pick up that he had a crush on her, "I really don't have a favorite. They are just plants." Genis sighed, then agreed with her—yeah, so they're just pretty plants. It just didn't seem right that she didn't like them. Didn't all girls like flowers?

Lloyd smirked, running a gloved hand through his hair, "I can't believe you two. One of you must like flowers." Lloyd was the group's unofficial leader, always taking the front line in battle. He was a merciless fighter, but he also got bored easily. Sometimes, he was a bit too melodramatic too—how many monologues had he spoken about the freedom of Tethe'alla and Sylverant in the past day? Never the less, he did have a good heart, even if he was a little zealous.

Sheena finally gave up, sighing, "Well, I do like this one type. Do you guys want me to show it to you?" Raine and Colette were both stirred up by this little side-quest, Raine for more knowledge and Colette for the romance of flowers. Genis sighed in some resentment, but didn't go against his sister's interests. Sometimes, a little side adventure was good for morale.

The dark-haired woman leapt off into a forest, following a river upstream. Lloyd and Regal had no problems keeping up with the agile woman, but Zelos whined about having to pick his way through brambles. It was relaxing to run through the forest, like a free man. The thought of possibly being free made Regal's heart beat a little harder than usual.

A few minutes later, Sheena abruptly stopped at a small pond. Playfully, she put her finger over her lips, then waded into the lake. The party watched her swim intently, wondering where she was going off. She popped up nearly a small pad, clipped off its roots, and brought it back to the shore. Colette stared at the blossom on the pad in amazement, almost silenced by awe.

"This is a lotus blossom," Sheena held the flower up for everyone to see. Its gentle white petals were lightly stained with pink veins. Any little breeze ruffled the flower, occasionally catching light from the forest ceiling. Raine had seen other lotus blossoms before, but this one was exceptionally beautiful.

Raine asked in amusement, "These just grow here?"

Sheena nodded, twirling the flower by its base, "Yeah, especially during the summer. You should see this place in the spring, too—the trees are all pink then." Presea didn't bother to name the type of trees in this grove, but rather took the time to enjoy the scenery. It had been some time since she really understood how things could be pretty. This was good that Sheena brought them here, she determined.

Regal calmly smiled again, imaging what his long-lost lover would have thought of this place. She would have wanted to stay here for hours, staring absently at the sky and all the life around her. She didn't just wade in life; she launched into it, like a cannonball. Regal started to feel lonesome again. He really did miss Alicia, more than he let himself know. Had he really cut himself off from his emotions so long?

He looked blankly into the pond, its green surface shimmering. It was amazing what he could see in it. Lloyd was skipping rocks across it, occasionally disturbing its reflection. At least the kid was still having fun. Regal could see all sorts of things in the pond's mirror: the tops of the trees, the rocks along its shallow banks, a dark shadow moving in the background . . .

Dark shadow. . .He snapped to attention, thinking to himself, in the forest . . .He focused his mind again, staring at the subtle movements. Something was watching them back, like a contented predator. Whites of eyes were deciphered out of the shadow, narrowing as someone realized Regal had caught onto him. There was a small shifting of movements, and a small reed shoot was raised out of the darkness. It was aiming directly for . . .Sheena!

Regal took no time to explain his actions. He knocked Sheena into the pond, taking a defensive stance where she once stood. There was a small prick in his shoulder, and he noticed a small dart to the right of his neck. Touching it gingerly, he felt a sudden burn blast through his shoulder. Lloyd was the first to comprehend why Regal had done that, "Someone's attacking us!"

The shadow in the bushes quickly took off, but not fast enough for Genis to pelt a few spells on the assassin's back. As brush and leaves were knocked loose, a small swath of red cloth tore off. Zelos was ready to pursue the attacker, but by the time he stood where the shadow had been, it was long gone. He picked off the red cloth, looking at it in confusion.

Sheena wiped pond water out of her eyes, almost ready to cuss Regal out. She never expected him to go haywire like that! Well . . .what's to be expected of criminals? Zelos brought her the piece of cloth, and her eyes widened, "No, not . . .Kuchinawa . . ."

"What's wrong, Sheena?" Colette asked, always the thoughtful one.

Sheena shook her head, "Nothing. It's nothing." She then paused, understanding what Regal had done. He had pushed her out of the ninja's sights! She could have been killed! Okay, maybe now she could be a little bit more forgiving, "Hey, Regal, thanks."

Regal didn't respond at first. His entire right side was locked up with bright, piercing pain. He found enough resolve to stutter, "You're . . .you're . . ." It was all the strength he had left. The numbness was traveling all over now, paralyzing him in a wash of agony. He didn't cry out; he couldn't if he wanted to.

He dropped to his side like an injured dog. His senses were blurring into one vision, all sounds muffled and touch disabled. Grey dots were swarming like hornets in front of his eyes. His temperature was beginning to burn, hot strikes of pain now becoming evident in the aftermath. _What is . . .going . . .on?_ It became increasingly hard to breathe.

Raine quickly searched for any wounds, finding a small arrow-fletched dart in the curve of his neck next to his right shoulder. She removed it carefully, noticing black liquid tipped on its points. There was also a small kanji letter written in gold ink on the dart's side, something she couldn't read. She didn't have to be a genius to figure out what was going on, "Sheena, your clan is proficient in using poison, correct?"

She nodded, "Some are. There are different kinds with different strengths. It gets a bit hazardous to use them."

Raine quickly processed that information, then began barking out orders, "Lloyd, I need you to get me some fresh water. Genis, get me my staff and the unicorn's horn. Zelos, I need you to help me get Regal out to a safer place."

Zelos was a little dense, "Okay, my lovely professor. But what's going on?"

Raine almost snapped at him, "Isn't it obvious, you dolt? He's been poisoned."

_Poison . . . _Regal thought blankly before his consciousness gave out, _I should have . . .seen that . . . one . . . com . . .ing. . ._

_---_

A smart man always knows how to adapt to his surroundings. If you drop a survivalist in the middle of nowhere, he's going to be kicking for an obscene amount of time. Regal was always quick on his feet, and he used that to blend into his prison for his entire sentence. He knew who controlled what, when everything had to occur, and even some things that an average noble would never venture to find out. Using his knowledge, he lived his life in this damp terrain by three very important rules.

Rule number one: Never take a long time in a public bath.

Regal never took a very long time to clean himself. Even in his normal life, he would get in and out of a bath as fast as he could. When Alicia died, he stopped trying to cut his hair. It got to be too cumbersome to trim it, especially in prison. He did keep shaving, though. He never could grow a mustache or a beard well, and decided that shaving was one necessary thing he had to do. Beyond that, he wasted no time in the water.

Few people in Tethe'alla are unaware of the situations most prisoners go through when they have to bathe. First, there were scheduled times; the men would bathe on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, and the women were on the other four days. Second, the showers were a massive collection of faucets and plumbing all maintained in one room. There was no privacy from other prisoners, something that Regal never really got used to. Third, all the prisoners were watched when they were bathing. It was probably more of a security issue with them than anything else, but it still bothered Regal greatly.

Anyway, back to his current strife. He awoke half-naked in his old jail cell, head spinning like a twister down Oklahoma. The first thing he noticed was that he was missing his shackles, and then he picked up that those weren't the only things he was lacking. He frantically searched for his shirt, but that was nowhere to be found. Panicked for only a moment, he settled down, then decided to have a look around.

Everything was a drab, gray colored. The bricks, his wooden board/bed, the ceiling, ground, even the light. Everything was dull. It was like something had sucked the life out of his surroundings. He tried peering out the window, but its gray light blinded him like the sun. Head swimming again, he tried to understand what was going on.

"Are you just going to sit in there and rot?"

Regal snapped to attention, startled at the voice. He finally took notice that his jail cell was unlocked! Approaching the bars, he pushed the iron door out of the way, searching down the dirt corridors for whoever was talking to him. Humph, nobody. He still felt very disheveled, uncertain of his fate.

Someone blasted out of the dark gray area in a puff of rose smoke. A dark-haired woman appeared out of the smoke, red cloak dragging against the ground. Her eyes were a hell-frozen-over blue, narrow and judgmental. She was obviously not in the mood to be dealing with Regal, "Another one. Great."

Regal barely found his voice in time, "Where. . ."

". . .Are you? Auntie Em, Auntie Em!" the woman cut him off, mocking him, "What's the last thing you remember, hmm? Bit of poison get in your system?" He nodded, dumbfounded, unsure how the woman would know that. She scoffed again, "Is it no surprise, Regal Bryant? You must know something about the mystics of Tethe'alla, really."

She knows my name? He tried not to be too startled, "I know . . .they exist."

The woman rolled her eyes, standing akimbo, "Honestly. Well, let's get this over with. I'm sure the master has a lot of work to do yet, and you're not exactly one of his big problems."

"The . . .master?" Regal was shocked to find a little strength in his system. Taking all the stamina he could get, he questioned, "Where are . . .Presea . . Zelos . . ."

She crossed her arms, leaning on her right leg, "You really are a big dumb farm boy deep down, you know that?" The woman pulled out a small golden chain out of her cloak, opening up a small clamp on one end, "You'll have your answers in due time, Bryant. For now, come with me."

The gold chain shot out of her hand, wrapping around his neck in a strike of lightening. He grunted in sudden shock, the chain almost chokingly tight. It was enough to subdue him, especially in his weakened state. The woman was rather pleased, "That's a good boy. Cooperation would be well-advised."

His blue eyes burned with confusion and rage, almost wet with jarred tears. Something almost bruised one's soul when they looked into that gaze of horror. The heartless woman smirked, jerking Regal along. Head down, he followed the sorceress obediently. He really didn't have the power to do anything else.

His vision blurred again, twisting his stomach in a knot. Regal needed help—but it was too far out of his reach.

---

Author's Note:

If you're worried about the length, chill. This story's only going to be 5 chapters long. Anyway, I'd like to hear any comments you have!


	2. The Second Rule

**Chapter 2: The Second Rule**

Zelos valued the presence of women like no other. He never believed that women couldn't do anything, especially after meeting Sheena, Raine, Presea, and Colette. All four were very strong-willed, wanting to keep peace above everything else. Presea had been able to outclass Zelos in battle several times, so he knew never to mess with her. Colette was so sweet and innocent that it made him too embarrassed to try anything. Sheena didn't even act like a typical woman, always rolling her sleeves up when a situation presented itself and tackled it head-on. And then there was Raine, who could have easily foregone any mercy on a half-elf semi-racist like him. She truly did care for him, deep down. That's probably why he was still alive.

Right now, she was doing something she was extremely good at—healing people. Raine had Zelos place Regal in a fairly open area, a good hundred feet or so away from the pond where they were attacked. He was not looking good at all; well, not like he ever looked as good as Zelos, but he was definitely in sore shape right now. His face was pale, and the spot where he was poisoned was turning dark and leathery. Raine was concerned about this, assessing the situation as she unraveled the white cords that held his shirt together so she could get at his wound. Most poisons did not usually make the skin react so weirdly. The internal damage had to be a lot worse, which didn't do much for her shaking nerves.

"Here, Raine," Genis had brought the unicorn's horn and a spare Panecea bottle. Raine was thankful that her little brother cooperated so well when he needed to. She took out her staff, carefully examining the entry wound with some uncertainty. No, this was not like any poison she was familiar with.

Colette watched nervously behind Raine, noticing the healer's subtle movements and prayers. She wished she could do something, but even her angelic powers were limited. She had only received enough power from Cruxis to fight well in combat, and that was about it. Besides that, she had made a promise to herself that no more people would have to die trying to protect her. It only made her shake a little more.

Raine noticed her uneasiness, "Colette, come here." She patted the ground in front of Regal, showing her where to sit. Colette obediently came around, waiting for the professor to instruct her. Raine spoke very softly, "Do you want to help me?"

Colette was very earnest, "Yes, Miss Sage."

Raine smiled only very slightly. When Colette got nervous, she also became very formal. The teacher instructed her, "That's good. I could use your help. Now, I want you to do only one thing." She placed the girls hands on Regal's wrists, "I want you to help keep his pulse, okay? Also, contact with someone else might help bring his body out of shock. Now, do you know how to keep pulse?"

Colette nodded, clearly upset, "I think. Count the beats for 10 seconds, and then multiply it by six?"

Raine accepted her answer, "That will work." She noticed a small glimmer of a tear, and asked, "Are you going to be up to this?"

Colette sniffled, wiping her eyes clear, "Yes. I have to be. I'm the Chosen." Maybe not the best attitude for the situation, but her nobility was commendable. Raine admired Colette's strength; it must be tough for such a young girl to go through what she had suffered.

Sheena and Lloyd were fairly close to the rest of the group, but they had been given a different assignment. They were trying to figure out the small dart that was intended to be in Sheena's neck instead. It appeared that the pressure of the dart's impact released a fair amount of foul liquid, crushing some of the dart's shaft in the process. In a way, it was like a nasty snakebite. How ironic, a poisonous dart from a man whose name meant snake . . .

Sheena noticed the small symbol again, very confused, "How strange."

Lloyd lifted his eyes from the dart, "What?"

She shook her head, "It seems incomplete. The symbol, I mean." Picking the dart out of Lloyd's hands, she twirled it around, "It's our tribe's language, but it's pretty much just like a single letter of the alphabet."

"Oh, yeah?", Lloyd sat up, "What letter?"

She tried explaining again, "Gi. Usually, our language has one consonant and one vowel to each symbol. I don't understand why it's just Gi." She twisted it around again, looking at its structure, "And what I really don't understand is. . ."

She accidentally dropped it, and in its used condition, it was fragile enough to break. She covered her mouth in shock, looking in the dirt. Lloyd shook his head, "It's okay, Sheena. We couldn't have gotten more information out of it, anyway." He brushed through some of the splinters of the shaft, "It's not like we're expert weapon makers, anyway."

His hand stopped over a strange, smooth rock. Picking it up, he noticed it was roughly the size of a small exsphere. This had been inside of the dart, but what it did was unknown. It felt hollow inside, but it still was in one full shape. This was very confusing; even the shaft of the dart had taken some damage when it impacted into Regal's neck. Why was this rock still in one piece?

"That's very weird," Lloyd spoke his thoughts out loud. His words were enough to summon the very bored Zelos Wilder, who looked at what Lloyd had in his hands. He gasped in surprise, "Woh! Put that thing down, Lloyd!"

The brown-haired teenager was confused, "What?"

Zelos was on the edge of going into cardiac arrest, "That looks like a . . .a . . ."

"Cruxis crystal," Presea had joined in their conversation also, feeling left out, "This crystal has been inactive for some time and is beginning to deteriorate into its natural form. Within one thousand years, it will degrade into little more than dirt." Her matter-of-fact explanation was chilling, never the less her continued speech, "This one's approximated rate of erosion puts it at about 500 years of age."

Lloyd stared at it, mouth dropped open. Zelos cringed at it, almost wondering why someone would have a useless rock. He then began to wonder if Presea had some kind of calculator in her head; she was pretty smart to be able to guess a rock's age by look alone. The brackish crystal didn't reflect any light, like a swamp abyss.

Without warning, Presea took the crystal and cracked it open. Lloyd gasped in shock, not understanding why she would have done something like that. Inside the gem was a trace amount of brackish liquid, thick and sinister. Sheena frowned, looking at it, "That's the poison, isn't it? The inside of that dead crystal?"

Zelos blinked, almost taken for surprise, "Yeah, I guess. Funny thing; how does a liquid form inside of a dead rock? And, if this is a really old Cruxis crystal, that must mean a Chosen had it. How would a ninja from a small village be able to get a hold of something rare like that?"

Sheena was blunt with her response, "I don't know, and I don't care. We've got to tell Raine this—she might not be able to treat this." Presea gave her a startled look, like a wild animal that heard a shot in the distance. Certainly, Presea had doubted that a way to cure this would be found, but she did not expect the others to give up on their hopes like that.

"Yes. Let us do so," Presea nodded, quick to find Genis. She gave him the broken rock, realizing that pieces of the crystal were growing back together. How very strange, for an unequipped crystal of that nature. Genis was grateful for this minute discovery, and went to inform Raine.

How is it that good is always repaid in spades?

---

Rule number two: Eat only what you have to.

As a child, Regal had an insatiable curiosity about the lives of his servants. His mother used to say that as soon as he could walk, he was always following one of them around. A particularly new servant at that time by the name of George had taken Regal's questioning and helped him to learn chores that his family had never even thought of doing. It was strange how he was dedicated to always working, and if he had free time, he'd often work with the servants. It used to be slightly disgraceful to the Bryant family until Regal developed his own sense of art out of it.

George taught Regal how to cook really well. From that, Regal also became adept at detecting poisons and other strange oddities inside food, something that may have saved his family's life several times over. He could even tell small things, like what kind of animal might have gotten into the pantries by the teeth marks in bread. In this sense, he had learned to care for himself and to protect his family, and not just by physical force. It was something George was always proud of, even if he never really did admit it.

When all was said and done, and George's betrayal of Regal's trust had gone down as a note in history's symphony, Regal still held on to that precious knowledge. He knew that in prison no particular measure was ever taken to check food for insects or disease. He heard rumors of fellow inmates getting sick from maggots in their meat several times over, and he was certain that he wasn't going to be one of them. The guards never really cared whether or not he ate his food; if he was going to starve himself to death, so be it.

He also found ingenious ways to help keep his food warm over a long period of time. Since no one but guards and himself ever were in his cell, he left some of his food out on his small window. The sunlight helped to keep it warm, and in hot summer days, Regal could even cook his food to kill more bacteria. The guards were always suspicious of why Regal collected small shards of glass and why he hung them on the window bars, but after seeing that he was only using it to heat food, they looked the other way. Perhaps it was the only quarter the government spared to a noble in prison.

Regal could remember one terrible night in particular. Something had been wrong with a piece of meat, and he had thankfully found it and didn't eat it. However, the unfortunate inmate next to him got very sick from the meal. Nobody quite understands the meaning of being violently ill until they hear the half-rabid screams of a man late at night, vomiting whenever they stopped to take a breath. In the morning, the man was dead from dehydration, a thick liquid with the appearance of oatmeal had stained much of the walls, and Regal was also sick—he had been awake all night from the screaming, much like everyone else in his block, and they were all fatigued. It was more of a nervous illness than anything else, but the man's cries and the disturbing aftermath were enough to still haunt Regal at night.

He was being lead down through a mess hall, still chained around his neck. Walking on the floors was like wading through a mass of gruel and compost. Six long wooden tables stretched out like entire trees, stools growing alongside like mushrooms. There were squeals, grunts, and shrieks from the people sitting at the table, almost like the sound of excited pigs. They were certainly corpses, half-bloated by some unseen sun. However, they paid no attention to Regal as he and his captor moved through.

"What are those things?" he asked timidly, slightly lifting his head to meet the sorceress's gaze.

She didn't even bother to look back at him, "You're going to be one of them, if you fail to please my master. Now, hurry up!" She pulled on his chain, dragging him through the hall and out another door. He took one last glimpse of the feasting corpses, shuddered, and moved along. He certainly didn't want to end up like that.

The red sorceress drug him through more corridors, all drab gray with red banners. He remained silent the entire time, the woman cold and callous enough to make him uncomfortable. She finally took him to a thick wooden door and took out a golden key. Unlocking the door, she shoved him inside, yanking the chain off of his neck in one quick snap. His ear burned with a little pain from the whiplash, but it quickly subsided.

"Master, I have brought you the next one," the sorceress smirked, then glared at him, "If you are smart, I wouldn't fight back." She slammed the door shut, bolting and locking Regal inside the dark room. He tried plowing through the door, but it was too thick for him to do any damage to it. Sinking to the stone floor, he decided to come up with a plan B.

Smoke billowed around Regal, spreading out like a fog. It gently touched his face, then fell back like a child running in fear. The temperature began to drop around him, the hair on his arms standing on end. It seemed like the room was getting darker, although that was nearly impossible in this lightless room. A distorted laugh rung through the chamber, dissonant and high-pitched.

A bright flash of light seared in the center of the room, blasting the smoke away from it in a brilliant display. He shielded his eyes, recoiling in basic shock. Dropping his arm very slowly, he began to notice the luminance begin to take a humanoid shape. It formed the feature of a very slender man, dressed in excessively elegant robes. His hair was long and smooth, a pale gray to match the rest of this fortress. Eyes were no different, but still sharp to look at like talons. It seemed like this man was out of his time by a great deal of centuries, dressing like that of a stuffy old man—even in the terms of the Bryant family!

He cackled to himself, "Ah, finally! A visitor!" Spinning on black boots, the man turned to face Regal, "And what have we here, hmm?" He took a quick sniff out of the air, chuckling again, "Ah, that smell! Hmm . . .I remember this. It is . . .noble blood! Excellent! My dear maid sure knows how to celebrate my birthday!"

Regal was shocked at the man's twisted mind, "Um . . .happy birthday, sir." It was all he could think of saying.

The rail-thin man smiled again, "Why, what a strange thing for you to say! And speaking out of turn! That is very rude, boy. Hmm, you must be the blackest sheep of royal fleece!" He squinted one silver eyebrow, smile gleaming white in the dark, foggy atmosphere.

Regal quickly regained his composure, standing up in the darkness, "My name is . . ." An invisible force slammed him back down to his feet, pinning him next to the door. The man was very displeased, holding one hand out, "Oh, dear, do not overexert yourself. I do like a good challenge—you're just wearing yourself out! Introductions are not needed from you!"

Taking a deep breath, Regal gently asked, "Then, pray tell, what is your name?"

The man smiled wide again, "Why, that is a subject that I am more willing to talk about!" He bowed low, "I am Duke Reginald de Vilder XIV, from the descent of the holy lineage of Mana."

"De Vilder? Of the lineage of Mana?" Regal quickly picked up onto something very strange, "Then, that must mean you are a Chosen?"

Reginald corrected him, wagging one long finger in the air, "I was. Past tense." He sighed in some form of resentment, "Oh, what I'd give to be young and alive again . . .but, let's not bore you with the details of why I'm taking your body, all right?"

Regal snapped in disbelief, "You are planning to do what now?"

The dead noble was obviously getting very tired of all of Regal's questions, "I'm dead. To become the Chosen, I must have a body to sacrifice." He crossed his arms, "It gets very boring when your entire existence is still inside of your Cruxis crystal, you know."

At this point, Regal could feel very little sympathy, "There is still a Chosen one alive right now. How do you plan to . . ."

"Do you never shut up?" De Vilder snapped, "I've heard women talk less than you!" The irritable noble quickly reformed his character, "I know that I still have my descendents. I was a very loose man. Never the less, the angels of Cruxis have informed me that no new Chosen has preformed the rights of sacrifice since my firstborn son. Therefore, it is my responsibility to see that the country remains in good health. You must appreciate that, do you not?"

Regal was glad to finally speak his mind, "The Chosen is working towards the freedom of Tethe'alla. There is no need for you to take my body."

"Now, see, descendent of the family Bryant, that's where you're very wrong," Reginald's tone became very cold, eyes sharpening focus into Regal's soul. "I have been trying for 500 years to gain a new body, and all have been too weak to sustain my existence. Those people in the mess hall that you met? Those are the bodies that I could not live in. They are a granfalloon, a meaningless collection of dead souls. I have a different feeling about you, though."

The dead Chosen opened his right palm, and out of it surged a dark crackle of energy. It struck Regal in the chest, pinning him between the force and the wooden door. He gasped for breath, nose bleeding in the abrasive storm. He did not give into the weakness to scream, however; he was a warrior, and he would not do that. Reginald admired this stubbornness, and dropped the line of electric force. Regal collapsed to the ground, out of air and coughing up blood. He shot a hateful glare at de Vilder, shaking in involuntary reaction.

"Fine, Bryant. Do as you wish," Reginald smiled coyly, "Your body is fading away, being transformed because you are here with me in my little realm. If you wish to die, keep this stupid struggle up. See where that gets you."

If he ever got out of this alive, Regal was going to have to thank Zelos for not treating him as low as this man.

---

Author's Note:

Kudos to the people that reviewed! :D Good to know I'm keeping someone entertained.

BTW--Useless info, but granfalloon is kind of a real word. It's a noun meaning . . .a useless group of people. It's also a monster from the Castlevania games. And now you know!


	3. The Third Rule

**Chapter 3: The Third Rule**

The sore black spot that had been the injury was growing fast, shooting down Regal's right arm, chest, and face. Some sinewy muscle was turning forest green, sickening with the glare of pus gushing out of it. Raine looked at it in horror, trying to stop its growth in any way possible. No healing spells were working, much to her dismay. It was worse to watch Regal shake in his fever, blue hair damp with his own sweat, knowing that she couldn't do anything about it.

Colette kept her eyes closed, keeping count of his heart rate, "186 . . .no, wait, 190." She couldn't look at him anymore, horrified by the pain he must have been feeling. It was both a blessing and a curse to be able to sense others emotions like that. She even shivered, her fear starting to slide out of her visage.

"Colette, it's okay," Lloyd placed a hand on her shoulder. She nodded, still trying to hold back a torrent of tears. He could remember how terrified he first felt when he almost saw Colette become sacrificed to be a vessel for the goddess Martel, and how he wished he could have rewound the clock. Maybe she was feeling sorry because she should have been the self-sacrificing one, like a good Chosen should act. How could she have known about Kuchinawa, anyway? Only Regal was paying enough attention to see him!

"Lloyd," she took a deep breath, still afraid, "Regal's not going to die, is he?"

"No," the answer came out so fast that it almost surprised Lloyd. He backed himself up, "We won't let that happen, Colette. We're going to fight until there's nothing we can do, and then some, because that's what heroes do."

Genis felt sorry for Colette, almost knowing how pessimistic thoughts could easily be distressing right now. He personally didn't think they could do anything else; the various bottles of potions didn't work, and neither did his sister's spells. It looked like Regal didn't have a snowball's chance in hell. A sudden feeling deep in Genis's heart almost made him shocked; he wondered maybe if Regal deserved this!_ No_, he thought to himself, _he might be a criminal, but he was looking out for the welfare of our party. That is redemption enough._

Sheena stood with Presea from some distance, feeling sorely guilty for this. She should have been shot with that damn dart. Kuchinawa would have had his revenge, and he would have left the party alone. No, instead, someone had to actually care about her! She barely even knew the guy, and he had taken a blow for her! How did she deserve that sort of treatment from others?

"Sheena, babe, have a little faith," Zelos came over to her, trying to get her to cheer up. She could have chopped his head off right about then, "Zelos, go away."

He cringed, "Ooh, tough girl." He sighed, then apologized, "Listen, Sheena, I know you're feeling bad about this. If there's anything I can do to make you feel better, tell me."

Whoa. Sheena looked up into Zelos's big blue eyes;_ did he just say something to me that didn't insinuate getting into my pants?_ She tried smiling, a feeble attempt, "Go help Raine, please." He bowed to do as she wished, but it wasn't his usual playful banter. He really was serious about trying to help her!

Zelos knelt down next to Raine, offering assistance, "My lovely banshee wants me to help, and I'm going to do it!"

Raine reluctantly smiled, "Okay, Zelos. Help me think of a way to heal this." He looked down at the strange growth, and held back the urge to puke. Just out of curiosity, he touched it, cringed at its gushy consistency. _Sometimes, you have to do really bad things for the ones you love,_ he encouraged himself.

Presea store at Zelos's desperate attempts to appease Sheena, almost mildly amused. She then noticed the crystal on the center of his chest glowing ever so slightly. This got her to thinking, "Zelos, why does your Cruxis crystal do that?"

He looked up, wiping one hand off in Regal's hair, "Huh?" He glanced down, "Oh, that thing. Usually, it goes off around other Cruxis crystals, like Colette's." For some reason, Colette's wasn't blinking back, so to Presea that must have meant that it was reacting with the dead crystal she had given to Genis. She nimbly jumped over to Genis, demanding the crystal back. He gave it to her with a fond twinkle in his eye.

"Stand back," was the only warning Presea gave. Raine, Zelos, and Colette moved away from Presea, watching what she was doing. She crushed the crystal again, then set its shards on Regal's neck. Raine watched with some confusion, trying to understand what she was doing.

Slowly, black liquid was beginning to come out of the wound and back into the crystal. It was fusing into one rounded sphere, once again perfect in form. The strange tissue began to rip off in slabs, leaving normal but sore skin behind. The dead crystal was coming back to life, glowing slightly with all of its mana regained. Raine watched with mouth open, amazed at how Presea came up with that solution.

There was only one sound in all that amazement, and that was the cry of the injured man.

* * *

Rule number three: Find a healthy vent to get your emotions out.

A lot of people picked up nicknames in the Tethe'alla prisons. Common ones included Smiley, Spanky, Stabby, and Shanks. Regal was one of the few that kept his true name, and that was because of his relationships with other people. Even in the bowels of prison, he could not hide his aristocratic nature—he was a terrible actor. His gentle relations with other people gained him few friends except for one particular group of people.

There were many poor people that were thrown into prison for failure to pay taxes. Out of these, the most pitiful were the women who were separated from their family. Regal never knew such terrible poverty, and in a way, he felt guilty for having been born in such lucky stars. Most of these women were barely old enough to leave their families, and a few even had children. Because most felt too frail to be able to defend for themselves, the prison guards of Tethe'alla enjoyed watching them fight in the local Meltokio Coliseums the best because they would almost always lose.

Regal had started simply enough with helping women identify the healthy portions of their food rations. Then, he started to give some of his food away, especially to those who were mothers. He became a confidant to some, listening to their problems and trying to comfort them. His strange aloofness almost was like a security blanket; no woman ever felt like he was going to force himself on her, like so many other murderers and thieves. This constant protection of others and his eccentric personality made people believe that his name befitted him well.

One time, Regal really crossed the line. A woman was being sentenced to fight in the coliseum, and like other executions in this manner, all prisoners were forced to watch. She had no knowledge on fighting, and she was pitted against a pair of lions. Most of the guards and spectators expect a fast, gruesome death for the young lady. What they hadn't counted on was for Regal to loose his temper.

In sudden retribution against the entire judicial system, Regal knocked out his guards and bolted into the coliseum grounds. He fought both of the lions, with no weapon, and came out the victor after several minutes of painful melee. There was never before such a tangible silence in an audience as the one at this scene, watching in surprise as every graceful move and dodge became an underground legend. Even after the battle, no one moved for several minutes—no prisoners escaped, no guards called for help, no member of the audience whispered a word. All eyes were on this blue-haired matted mess that had come out of nowhere to spare a girl of her own sentence. This was above the law's own power; many people were convinced that at that moment in time Regal was possessed by some divine nature from Cruxis.

To say the least, Regal got twenty lashes and three days in solitary with no food. In a stranger event, twenty people died of food poisoning during the time he was confined. One particular priest of the church of Martel said that, "This is a sign! The end of times are coming! The divine goddess is sparing the lives of prostitutes and the poor!" He was executed for heresy, and Regal was not allowed to be present to witness this in case another 'possession' happened.

"So, Regal, who is going to spare you from your own lion?"

His blue eyes had faded into a shade of cerulean, betraying the internal wracking pain. If he weren't so damned determined not to let this corrupted Chosen have his body, he wouldn't have been able to withstand the fiery agony. He wasn't entirely certain why he had grown so fond of his captors; could he really been suffering Stockholm syndrome? No, that wasn't it, but Regal had a good idea why he liked them. Maybe it just had been a very long time since anyone treated him as an equal—for the better or the worse.

Finding some more power, he murmured, "I will not let you. I will kill myself first before I will let you use this body."

Reginald was not amused, "Why are you so stubborn? What are you afraid of me doing? You'll have to face death sometime." He absently twirled one silver strand of hair in his fingers, "And your dedication to morals are disgusting. You know why you still feel guilty? Because you have those things. They bind you worse than your beloved shackles—that's why you were distressed when you couldn't find them, right?"

Another shock of pain ebbed over his body, but Regal did not back down or answer. This was not amusing to Reginald, "Come, man. Let me leave you with your dignity. Don't make me steal this from you. I may have stolen your chains and your shirt, but let me leave you with your pants." He paused for a moment, adding with a silken tone, "Let me **_use_ **this body to restore your **_honor_**."

"I will not let you," Regal repeated himself, bracing himself against the door as he stood up. His bones felt like they were made of thorns, shredding him inside. Laying one ear against the door, he continued his argument, "Do what you will to me. I will not . . ." He gasped, throat cracking while he was speaking, " . . .I will not . . .let you . . .harm . . .my friends."

There it was, like an unbelievable royal flush spread across the table for all players to see. Regal had come to love his friends, to cherish them above his own life. And now, like an ante, he was offering up this wager of his life to those who could very well change the world. Realizing this, de Vilder frowned in despair. This would not do at all; he could only get one body a year for possible sacrifice, and this one was being obstinate. It always seemed to be this way with any pathetic human.

"Very well, then. Very well, then," de Vilder stuttered, flipping his silver hair behind his robe, "I see that I have no choice then, Regal Bryant. It is time for your eternal judgment, then."

He heard the sound of a sword unsheathe, but did not bother to look the way of the dead Chosen. This was easy to accept, if this was to be his death. A quick run through his abdomen, a few terrifying minutes of having blood and bile running loose in his innards, then the final dark curtain. Maybe he would have his honor restored this way, that people of Tethe'alla would not loathe him anymore. He doubted it, though. None would understand what had happened here, in this strange realm where no other being could save him. But, he had accepted the fact that he would not lived to be old a long time ago, since he was first put behind lock and key.

"Woh! It's cleared up!"

_What was that?_ Regal looked up, noticing that Reginald was as easily startled. The voice sounded like a high-pitched bird, a hint of youthfulness seeping out. Could that really be . . ._Genis?_

"Regal? Regal, can you hear us? Are you okay?"

_Raine._ It had to be. Now the aged Chosen was very frightened, unsure what could possibly contact them from within the crystal's prison. He drew his weapon to the voices, circling, looking for some kind of explanation. Nothing was coming to him, though.

"Heya, Meatwall? Are you alive? I kinda need you so I can have something offset my beauty! MEATWALL, WAKE UP!"

**_Smack!_ **"Zelos, don't do that! You could send him into shock!"

"Ah, Raine, do you always have to be so mean?"

Regal smiled through his panting, nearly stumbling to his knees. Yes, this was real pain now, traveling through his nerves and making him shake. Better yet, someone out there was still caring for him—even if it was just Zelos thinking of himself. He hated the nickname Meatwall, but he took it over this suffering. With a withered cry, he called to the voices in the abyss, "I am . . .okay . . ."

"Guys, shut up! He just said something. Regal, it's me. Come on, buddy, you can pull through."

_Lloyd_, Regal shook with relief, _thank the goddess, someone knows I'm here_. De Vilder slashed at the air, trying to vanquish invisible demons. With every move, he was peeling out of this reality, melting into a semi-human puddle. He noticed that he was waist-deep in his own form before he began to panic, shrieking in terror. _**No! I'm not . . .being destroyed! I cannot be!**_ The dead Chosen was cursing with every word he knew, a garish set of phrases that are best not repeated here. It seemed like he was being ripped into a new place, but where to, exactly?

"Look, he's moving! I think I saw him blink!"

That was undoubtedly Colette. She sounded almost as tortured as he felt. Certainly, this was Colette's nature, always feeling empathic with everyone. It was almost like something truly divine had come to save him._ Oh, thank the goddess Martel. Thank you, thank you, thank you . . ._

* * *

". . .thank you . . .", was the first audible sentence that Sheena could understand. Like the others, she had crowded around Regal's body as soon as Presea figured out how to cure him. Adrenaline racing through her veins, she jolted when she heard him talking. _Well, I'll be damned_, she thought to herself, _Presea did understand what was going on!_

Zelos grinned, a cocky smile playing at the corners of his mouth. It didn't really occur to him why he was smiling, but he was happy anyway. Although he was a decent fighter, Zelos liked having someone that would take a little damage away from his beautiful face. He never really thought about the fact that maybe he was just happy to have his friend back to health.

"Buddy!" he latched onto Regal's shoulders, pulling him up to his knees, "It's good to have you back!"

Regal chuckled, still wheezing, "What . . .is . . .your problem?" He squirmed loose from Zelos's grip only to get tackled by Colette. The other Chosen was almost as joyous, tears beading dangerously close on the edge of her eyes. She giggled, glad to still have him alive. He couldn't be mad at her; where Zelos was a big goof, Colette did feel that strongly about most things.

Lloyd crossed his arms, still kneeling, "So, you do smile!" It was enough to make him blush. That's not to say that most of the things Lloyd said didn't make him blush periodically. Deep down, Lloyd was like Zelos with extra rules and a bad haircut. He got way too excited about things, and would even start dancing after battles if he got wound up enough. He was still a kid, though, so his behavior was forgivable.

"Is . . .everyone alright?" Regal was finally getting his voice back, although he sounded like he had been drug backwards over a railroad track.

Raine nodded, quickly explaining the situation, "Lloyd and Sheena were able to figure out the dart's structure, and Presea came up with the cure. I never thought I'd be outclassed by a twelve year old."

Zelos shrugged, "Happens all the time."

Genis rolled his eyes, sitting akimbo, "Maybe to you." Zelos growled back at him, just enough to slightly freak the kid out.

Sheena cleared her throat, addressing Regal's attention, "Anyway, thanks for . . .taking that hit for me." She felt royally embarrassed, unable to look him straight in the eye. It wasn't just that he had saved her live; she had messed up on one of her village's ability to sense danger. A near stranger had saved her life! How lucky is that?

Regal took only a moment to pause on it, "It was . . .no problem." Once again, he was lying so badly that even the absent-minded Lloyd knew he wasn't telling the truth. But, there is a certain delicate nature about dealing with friends. You'd do anything for them—as long as it isn't always a repeat performance.

Presea picked up the dead crystal, lying on the ground. She studied it for a moment, then handed it to Regal. Explaining it softly, she showed the minutest bit of concern, "The contents of this crystal were injected into your body. I would perceive that a slight amount could still be in your bloodstream, but it is most likely not fatal."

Sheena frowned, looking at the Cruxis Crystal, "I think we need to destroy this. I don't want anyone else being hurt by it." All of the party easily agreed with it, but where confused on how to destroy it. Physical attacks didn't seem to keep it apart for very long, and unless it was totally decimated, it could always hurt someone else. That wasn't a problem for very long, however.

Genis took the crystal from Regal like a cat stealing food, then placed it on the ground. He aimed his kendama at it, and then began to chant a few words. A swirling mass of fire swarmed in front of the weapon's tip, staying for only a few seconds. The fireball seared off into the crystal, striking the gem with a flare of light.

. . .and then it began to hover.

"Huh?" Genis was seriously confused. Lloyd armed himself, Zelos fumbling for his sword at the same time. All three freaked out when the Cruxis crystal flipped out an eyeball, piercing and gray. Smoke surrounded it, almost like wispy hair. Presea's eyes narrowed, poised to strike at any minute. This was certainly not going to plan!

The floating crystal eye shot off back into the forest, buzzing through trees like a comet. Sheena, Lloyd, and Presea bolted to catch up with it, Genis barely keeping up with them. Raine and Zelos helped Regal back onto his feet, Colette watching with some concern. Raine waved her off, "Go help Lloyd, sweetie." She did, with some minor hesitation.

"Ugh!" Zelos groaned, "Why am I always the crutch?"

Raine was irritated with him, "Just shut up and run." The three took off, hobbling as fast as they could. They followed a familiar path, leaves and branches knocked out of their way. Some of the limbs were slashed out of the way; this was definitely Lloyd's work. Raine felt distressed, although she didn't understand why.

Things were beginning to quickly roll downhill into hell.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Ah, isn't Zelos such a sweetie? :P

Big battle scene coming up soon . . .Dum Dum Dum!


	4. Agnus Dei

**Chapter 4: Agnus Dei**

Nothing is quite as disgusting as the feeling of a grasshopper being crushed. The sound, the sudden crunch of exoskeleton—all of it is just gross. Then, when you stop to think about it, all the insect's internals organs gush out of it at the same time. It is destroyed in less than a second, but it's still a gruesome death. These thoughts are too overwhelming for anyone of the philosophical type, this nasty crunching Monty Python assassination.

Seeing a person come back from the dead is about this gross, especially if the subject was a former Exbelua.

**Snap! **_Gurgle_. Bloop, _bloop_. Something horrid was churning underneath a crystal pond, the same that our heroes had previously visited. It bubbled furiously, obscuring any vision inside of its vortex. Lloyd and Genis were staring down into the pond, watching where the gemstone eye had splashed into the lake. They could almost see something glowing, furiously red and orange. It was enough to unnerve them.

"Get ready," was the only order Lloyd gave. Swords, kendamas, chakrams, cards, and axes were all drawn. Some kind of growl came up to the surface, deep and throaty. No one hesitated, all waiting for the bizarre eye to reappear.

A twisted whisper bubbled up, "She . . .didn't accept . . .my body." More bubbles hissed up to the surface of the lake, boiling it. Dead plants and fish surfaced, and splattering water drove back the group. The warped sentence echoed again, this time louder and deeper. The geyser of bubbles began to form a column in the center of the lake, turning the water a thick shade of red-orange. Colette murmured in fright, "Lloyd, something's coming up!"

**SPLASH!**

Presea rolled out of the way of the water, jumping back to her feet in no time. The others had dodged the blow, although much less elegantly. She did not pay attention to them, however. Quickly taking a scan of their enemy, she blandly announced, "Subject appears to be energized by the Cruxis Crystal. It also has been corrupted by its parasitic relationship, and no longer remains human. 75 or higher rate of combat would be considered necessary." She was preaching to the paladins.

If Martel were ever to use a Chosen for a vessel, this creature hobbling in front of them definitely would not be it. Olive green skin ripped across its entire body, easily exposing muscles and some internal organs. Hundred of years of submersion had deteriorated its body, leaving strange patches grown in with roots and fungus. Its right shoulder was much higher than its left, giving it a slanted hunchback look. The monster also walked on its legs like a poodle, albeit a poodle with Velociraptor toes. Over its back and chest, large orange gems grew like pus-filled boils. Its head was almost cleaved in two, the left side smaller than the right. It was enough to make Genis gag.

"Why . . .", the beast growled, "Didn't Martel . . .accept **ME?!!!**" This is what remained of previous Chosen of Mana Reginald de Vilder XIV, deceased for 512 years and counting.

Lloyd was the first to lead the assault on the twisted beast, ripping at it like a lion. He was easily cast off to the side in a muddy tidal wave, slamming him into the trunk of some old tree. Nature bent to the will of the Chosen, tree bark ground over Lloyd. He tried jolting away from the tree, but was held in place by strong bark and tree sap. Arms bent in painful angles, he dropped his swords.

"Lloyd!" Colette shrieked in fright. She tried rebuking the monster, "What are you doing?!"

It heaved at her, twin eyes uneven, "Martel . . .accepted . . . .you! You threw . . .eternity away!!"

Splattering a heavy mixture of mud and goop at Sylverant's Chosen, Colette was blinded. She quickly dropped to the ground, angel wings glowing under dark liquid. Regaining her composure, she threw her silver chakram at the monster, nicking boils as they returned. Yellowish pus oozed out, tainting the ground and water with its strange color.

De Vilder recovered from this malicious attack, grabbing the Chosen by her ankle. She screamed in fright as she was jerked upside down, thrashing as hard as she could. Genis whapped the monster with his kendama, quickly attracting attention to himself. The beast raked at him with its claws, strangely jointed hands drawing a bit of blood. With another kick, Genis flew into a thick brush, knocking the wind out of him. The brush ensnared him, growing into his clothes and keeping him in place.

"This will not do," Presea stated, chopping away at the Exbelua. It was strange to think that a Chosen would have such a negative reaction with any form of an exsphere, but it was not without previous cases. Some suggested that perhaps a companion of Mithos the hero suffered from a similar sort of allergy to Cruxis crystals. However, while her reaction to the crystal had been kept in check, this creature had obviously grown out of control into a hapless monster. It was peculiar how it kept dedicating itself to Martel, even during this mutation.

With one lucky blow, Presea hacked off a large chunk of flesh from de Vilder's left shoulder plate. The sickeningly sweet smell of decomposition floated through the air, rotten flesh exposed to the atmosphere. It was enough to nauseate poor Colette, who was still suspended upside-down in the air. Sheena tried blocking the scent out, focusing on her summon. In a few short seconds, she would have a force violent enough to strike it down.

"_Hammer of Godly Thunder, I summon thee_!" she shrieked to the skies, "_Volt!_"

Thunder boomed through the air, crashing into the body of the twisted Chosen. Pond water helped to fry the beast, although it also shocked Colette. She was able to wiggle out of de Vilder's grasp, but she was much too weak to fight anymore. Presea moved her out of the way of the beast, then prepared to strike again. Sheena apologized to Colette, and then went to focus on gaining enough power to summon once more.

Presea re-entered her dance with the undead creature, slashing like a graceful samurai. She barely touched the boiling water with her boots, but it was hot enough to make her jump in pain. The Exbelua took advantage of the girl's injury, sending a surge of warm mud after her. Presea tried to tumble out of the way, but was hit by the full force of the attack. It blew her back into a tree with enough force to knock her unconscious.

"Guys!" Sheena did not like being left alone in combat. Growling, she tried to summon Undine, but she did not have enough mana available. Relying on ninja reflexes, she switched her strategy to attack, and quickly sent cards flying in all directions. Some missed their target and returned to her. The lucky few lodged in the skin of de Vilder like thorns. However, she was not going to be powerful enough to take this on by herself.

Somehow, the twisted Chosen knew that too, "Run, run . . .little vixen." Just to spite her, he snapped more vines of dead plants out of his lake. Reanimating them with his own blood, the plants shot out of control, blasting Sheena back. She nearly missed hitting a large rock, but her evasion was not enough. Latching to the boulder, the previous lotus flowers tied her down by her arms. She wasn't down for the count yet, but she wondered if she could possible summon fast enough to save her hide.

Sheena had luck going for her that day, "Ugh, that thing is just gross!!" She rolled her eyes; who was coming to her rescue but Zelos Wilder. He was all flowing red hair as he entered the melee, silver sword shining in the frail light shimmering through the forest ceiling. Raine rushed in after him, quickly focusing on freeing her brother. Regal hobbled to Presea, making sure none of her injuries were fatal—it was unlikely he had enough strength to fight.

"Gross, hmm?" de Vilder mused, "Now, now. What sort of daft man are you?"

Zelos cringed at the monster's eloquence, "Geez, I've never met a stuffy monster before! Sorry to tell you, but I'll have to kill you now. See, you've hurt my hunnies, and as the Chosen, I can't let this stand."

The monster seemed to ponder on that for a moment, and then cackled in a warbled voice. "So!" he scorned, "You are Tethe'alla's Chosen. It appears that convict wasn't lying to me after all! No matter."

Raine untangled Genis, urging him to cast whatever he could as fast as possible. He summoned up a small bit of power, sending a blast of ice at the monster. It was painful enough to get some attention, all exposed wounds freezing shut. Zelos slapped the beast in a strange reflex, "Hey! Pay attention to me when I'm killing you!" He followed Genis's spell up with three slashes to the monster's chest, carving an elegant letter in its wake. (Take a wild guess which one that was.)

Regal shook Presea a little bit, trying to wake her up. Blurry eyes focused as best as they could, but she had taken a rough hit. She moaned, "Go help the others. It is not necessary to assist me at this time." Regal nodded, but ignored her anyway. He picked her up as best as he could, then placed her further outside the battlefield. Raine noted where he had dropped her off, and decided to come back to her after the others were okay.

Sheena cheered Zelos on as best as she could, knowing he fed off it, "Come on, you idiot Chosen! You can kill it!"

"Anything for you, toots!" Zelos really didn't appreciate being called an idiot, but he did like it that Sheena wanted him to help. Rocking elegantly on his heels, he weaved through the string of strikes that the Exbelua was throwing at him. He snickered cockily, taking a fast slash at the monster's lower legs. With one mighty blow, he severed one leg off and ripped the second in half. However, the monster was not completely helpless with its new handicap.

Mud rose out of the lake, creating a fake lower torso for de Vilder to sit in. He scowled at Zelos, then grabbed onto the Chosen's collar. He chucked Zelos back out into the forest, which was a good 10 feet back. The monster followed up his attack by focusing on Raine, ripping chunks out of the ground. She barely shielded herself in time, thick pelts of mud stinging even through that. Using Photon, she blasted it where Zelos had struck, burning nerves.

Lloyd woke up to someone digging against his wooden prison. Almost delirious, he was grateful to find Regal peeling back some of the bark. Some of the bark had grown into his skin, leaving painful gashes as it was removed. Finally free, he almost stumbled to the ground. He picked up his swords, "Thanks, Regal," and was about to enter combat when the convict stopped him.

"You need to rest," Regal tried to halt him, holding him back. Lloyd could almost see little gray dots, but he convinced himself that he was good enough to battle. He tried to compromise with Regal, "I'll get Raine to heal me up. Okay?" It was acceptable, so he let Lloyd run back to the field.

Raine was going to need healing herself. The monster had dug out more garbage from its pond, throwing dead tree boughs at her. She was able to dodge one, and Genis deflected another one with a blast of ice, but the third one struck true. Orange robes tattered in the blow. She felt dizzy, her brother keeping her standing.

"Run, Raine!" Genis pushed his sister out of the way. He took a heavy rock to the head, a strike hard enough to knock him out. Raine was certain he would be unconscious for a while. Picking her brother up, she began to exit the field, stopping only long enough to check on Lloyd. She went to Colette's side, quickly attending to her brother and Sylverant's chosen.

A red tornado lashed into de Vilder, swords lodging firmly into the beast's lower ribcage. Thrashing in surprise, he could see Lloyd Irving out of the corner of his eye. A third sword slammed into his upper left collarbone; Zelos had quickly made his way back into the battle, having first taken care of freeing Sheena. It was of little matter to the undead Chosen, though. He caught the young redhead once again, shaking Lloyd off at the same time. Both landed on the ground, barely able to catch their breath before the Exbelua struck again.

A blue blur followed up their strikes, walking up the beast's chest and making contact with its jaw. The crunch of bone followed that, totally devastating bones and de Vilder's face. Regal landed half-crouched near Lloyd and Zelos, both shocked that the convict could force himself to attack in poor health. Lloyd smirked, his voice imitating Regal's, "Oh, no, I think you need to rest." He shot the boy a small glare, standing up with small aches.

Regal tried to explain himself as fast as he could, "I think . . .give me a second." He vaulted back at de Vilder, this time slipping under the monster's grip. With one fluid motion, he dug his boot into de Vilder's chest cavity, ripping out flesh and a chunk of bone. It was a staggering blow, enough to finally make the beast shriek in pain. A small black gemstone was clearly visible, exposed by the violent blow.

Lloyd sneered, expression being into a devilish smile. He yanked his swords out of the previous wound and stabbed them into the gemstone, cracking it open once more. Foul black liquid burned Reginald, his former source of power now eating at his flesh. Shards of the crystal lodged into his skin, like terrible glass splinters. Emerald green blood dribbled down onto the ground.

"I got this one," Sheena smiled, whipping out a blue card, "_I call upon the Maiden of the Mist. Come, Undine!_"

A beautiful humanoid woman floated out in the middle of nowhere, brilliant and cold eyes instantly assessing the situation. She raised one hand to the lake, controlling the flood of water like it was in her own veins. Geysers of mud shot out to envelop Reginald de Vilder, and splashed some of the party members too close to the dead Chosen. Then, in a blue flash, Undine was gone once more, but not without another dramatic twist to the scenery.

A mud whirlpool was pulling into the lake, sucking up debris like a vast tornado. Zelos noticed that he was beginning to sink, along with Lloyd, into this cycle, and he tried to back out. The mud was thick to his pants, brown staining white. If he was ever going to get out of this, he was going to be pissed off—these were his favorite pair!

The vortex was also serving a positive purpose, dragging the straggling corpse of de Vilder down with it. He was ripping apart, the Cruxis crystal toying with his genetics and destroying him further than age or normal exsphere alone could have done. With some reluctance, he was beginning to realize his own defeat—by a woman! _How blasphemous! _

Regal felt a snag in his pant leg. Looking down, he saw yellowed claws digging into his ankle. A piercing slash like a reptile bite raged in his ankle, nails latching on. Pulling back, he realized he was loosing his balance. He was just about to say something, "Lloyd, I think I'm going to . . ." but got no further. De Vilder dragged him under, quickly choking his world with mud.

Sheena freaked out, "Oh my god!" Sprinting next to the pool, she tried searching for anything—bubbles, irregular splashes, anything! Lloyd pulled himself up on the un-sinking part of the lake's shore, coughing up some mud. He shook his head, exhausted, "Sheena, stay there. I'll be right back."

"No, you won't," Zelos plainly stated. He was up to his waist in mud now, so what the hell. _I can't believe I'm going to risk my pretty little head over a convict, _he thought with some disgust. Taking a deep breath, he plunged under the mud pond, swimming into its vortex. Lloyd store at where Zelos had been, jaw agape. Since when did Zelos ever have a death wish?

Thankfully, one of the few things Zelos was blessed with as a Chosen was the ability to sense body heat. Some humans kind of had a sense like this, noticing when the room got a little hotter when someone was five feet away from them. This sense was amplified in Zelos; he could feel people from at least double that. It was one of the particular reasons he liked to flirt with woman. They were willing to get closer to him, and he liked getting attention and being warm.

Swimming through the whirlwind of mud, he focused his mind as best as he could. Usually, his thoughts were on the four corners of the world, but he had to concentrate. Oxygen was going to become an issue pretty damn quickly. He moved through the mess, trying to fight against the vortex's pull at the same time. Finally, he felt something unusual—it wasn't the typical warmth of a human, but rather the absence of any sort of normal heat. Oh crap, this was the monster!

He focused what little he could see through the mud, noticing a half-split head in the mess. It was gnashing furiously, still surviving without air. Orange eyes locked into Zelos's gaze, teeth murmuring on a twisted sentence that traveled into his mind, "_Let me have him._"

Zelos shook his head, not understanding the monster entirely. How was he hearing this thing underwater?

"_Let me take him, Chosen. Let me use his body to fuel me._"

His lungs were almost to the burning point, but that warning didn't wake Zelos out of this semi-conscious talk with de Vilder. He wasn't quite sure what he'd need with Regal, and the monster's constant insistence made him worry just a little bit. He needed to focus on finding the convict, even if it was stressful.

"_Let me be reborn, my greatest grandchild. Let me take the burden away from you._"

Zelos was still searching for Regal, beginning to ignore the monster. He had been down underwater for at least a minute, and at best he'd have only one more. He didn't have time to screw around with some half-crazed Chosen, even if they were related. The stupid thing just wouldn't shut up about it! De Vilder was pissed with Zelos, "_So obstinate. So young. So stupid."_

Zelos snarled at this thing, then he kicked it. That last sentence was enough to send him over the edge; he might not be the wisest sage, but hell's bells if he was a stupid bumpkin! His foot made direct contact with the back of the monster's head, breaking it off from the body with a small burst of gore. Trying not to gag, he noticed that some of its body was beginning to disintegrate in the mess. He needed to find Regal, fast. If Zelos couldn't hold his breath any longer, it might be 10 seconds too late to the other.

He swam back, trying to sense any other temperature disturbances, when something brushed his arm. He would have yelped in surprise if he had any air to spare. Somehow, he sensed an energy spike from this thing—yeah, it felt human enough. Diving down, he could feel out shoulders and the dangling garments of an unraveled shirt. A head jerked back, trying to figure out where it was—it seemed like Regal was still alive. Zelos wrapped one arm around his ribs, and then jetted up to the surface as fast as he could with the other in tow. He needed oxygen like a woman needs chocolate a few days each month.

Zelos breached the surface, quickly gasping in air. His head was spinning; he wondered if he had been under just a tad bit too long. He almost fell back into the vortex, but someone had grabbed onto his vest. Looking up, he saw Sheena clutching to him, Lloyd and a recovered Presea clinging onto her waist. Raine was trying to talk with him, but he was half-dazed, "Zelos, are you all right?"

He shook his head, swimming with the assistance up onto the bank. Lloyd hauled Regal up after Zelos, breathing with some difficulty. He looked barely conscious, about ready to fall apart at the seams. Both coughed up mud, a thick grimy brown color. The vortex was still spinning, but it looked like they were out of any immediate danger.

"Ugh," Zelos moaned, "I'm going to die if I can't get a bath."

Genis hovered over him, a small gash on his head but otherwise all right, "Oh, get over it. You're lucky you were able to come up at all."

"Lucky is my middle name," Zelos smiled, still dazed, "And Clarence."

Colette was almost buzzing around them, injuries bandaged by Raine's quick healing. She hugged both of them by the neck, so happy it was almost frightening. Zelos struggled to get loose, but Regal was too out of it to fight her. She squealed with joy, "I thought you two were going to die!" She squeezed them tighter, almost nuzzling them like an energetic puppy.

"Colette, be careful with them!" Raine rebuked. Colette pouted, but let them go. The scholar quickly looked them over, wiping the mud off their faces to check for body color. Both seemed to be a little paler than usual. She crossed her arms, shaking her head, "This won't do. Both of them have over-exerted themselves. I can't think they will do any better in battle."

Lloyd cocked his head, looking at Raine, "Can't you heal them up?"

She laughed, and then explained, "Healing only does so much, Lloyd. They're both fatigued. It's best we get to a safe place for the rest of the day."

He was willing to compromise on that, "Okay, Professor. If you say so." He took out their Tethe'alla Map, trying to survey for a good area to stay. The closest place looked like either Mizuho or Sybak, but he wasn't completely comfortable with either place. In Sybak, they'd be hunted down like dogs for simply having Zelos with them, and most of the people in Mizuho shunned Sheena for failing to create a pact with Volt in one shot.

"I got it," Zelos shot one hand into the air, lying on his back like a flipped turtle, "Let's go to my house. I've got clean clothes there."

Sheena store at him, "What kind of reason is that?"

Presea computed on that a moment, then answered, "It may be good enough. We are in poor condition, and any extra clothes we can get would be useful." Sheena accepted that, helping Zelos back up. Lloyd and Presea had to be careful as Regal got up, still wavering on his feet like a drunk. Colette got wound up again, now flittering around on her wings while Genis shook his head. These people were all crazy, sans his older sister. She had a different sort of insanity from the rest of them.

At that point, a startling reality was revealed to Regal, like the bright ember of a sinking sunset. He had only survived thanks to the selfless response of Zelos Wilder. This was twice in one day somebody had been looking out for him, the convict that had lived in the bowels of the Tethe'alla prisons for some seven years. Every rule on personal independence had been broken; all self-reliance was gone. He would not be able to survive on his own, and it took him so long to realize that. He had to get back to where he was, in alliances with other people.

There were a lot of connections to be re-established.

---

Author's Note:

I've got an epilogue coming up, so if you like more of a touchy-feely ending, then keep with me. :D


	5. Redemption or Something

**Epilogue: Redemption or Something**

Zelos's bathroom smelt like flowers. In a half-awake sense of amazement, Regal thought about his surroundings. Zelos really did have a wonderful abode—it wasn't his parents' mansion, but that longing was more attributed to a homesick feeling. The walls were pink, the floor a tiled eggshell white. There were fake rubber plants for decoration, and a wooden hamper in one corner. _He's got it made_; he dozed off again, half-asleep in the bathtub.

**Bang! **"Hey! You've been in there for half an hour! What are you doing?!"

Regal jolted, staring at the bathroom door. He sighed, knowing he had been in too long. He missed being able to take a bath without being on guard. Grabbing a towel, he unplugged the tub and finally answered the voice behind the door, "Sorry, Zelos."

Zelos crossed his arms, shaking his head, "Whatever. I just brought your clothes back. Sebastian takes forever to clean them, you know?"

"Erm . . .", Regal almost opened the door, but he felt just a little insecure stepping out with only a towel on.

Zelos slapped his head, red curls bouncing with his every move, "I won't look, okay?" The door gingerly unlocked, and Regal took back his clothes. Zelos kept his back turned until the door shut again—he would keep his word on that, at least.

Well, if it was Sheena, that'd be a different story.

The redheaded Chosen still talked to Regal as he was dressing, "You know, you've really gotta help Lloyd. Colette is doing weird things to his hair." It was the truth, too. She had gotten bored staying in Zelos's house for the afternoon, so after her bath she started playing with everyone's hair. Raine, Sheena, and Presea let her go nuts, and all three had strands of braids now. Zelos let her play with his hair on the condition that she wouldn't hurt it. He had some braided rosettes, and he planned on taking them out as soon as she went to sleep. She tried messing with Genis's hair, but he was adamant that she wouldn't. He hadn't got away scott-free; Raine made him sit still while Colette brushed his hair.

Regal unlocked the door, finally stepping out. Zelos joked around, "You look like a drowned rat." He mussed up the convict's hair, "Good Lord, did you even wring this out? You're going to get water all over the carpet." A small flutter of wings told both that Colette had picked up on them. She stood with a hairbrush in one hand, a smile so cute it was almost devious.

Lloyd stomped up after her, his hair curled in rings. He snickered, "Looks like she's got her next victim." Regal shook his head, not bothering to retort. Zelos took advantage of that, "Look who's talking, Goldilocks." Lloyd made a face at him, then went to the boys' bedroom. He was going to go play checkers with Genis, which he planned on losing.

Colette got a little bit too zealous, angel wings back out again. At only 5'2", it was difficult to brush Regal's hair without him sitting down or her flying up. She tugged on his shirt, and Zelos laughed at his predicament. He decided to 'call off the hound', "He'll be down in a second, Colette. Meanwhile, I think Genis needs a Mohawk." She giggled at that idea, and raced into the boys' bedroom.

Regal looked like he had forgotten something. He apologized to Zelos, "I am sorry. I did not thank you for saving my life earlier."

The Chosen seemed surprised that he said that, although hindsight made it look normal. He shrugged, "Eh, no big deal, really. . ." A coy look seeped into his expression, "But, for payment, I want you to answer this question for me, okay?"

_Oh, brother_, Regal thought. _Here it comes . . ._

"Are you who I think you are?"

That was a strange question. Regal thought about it for a second, wondering what was buzzing through Zelos's mind. It had been 11 years since he had last seen the Chosen, and then Zelos was still a kid. How would he know who he was? A pale thought crossed his mind; he probably heard of his crime, somehow. He probably was keener on his deduction than Regal or anyone else ever gave him.

"Tell me who you think I am," Regal said flatly, hoping that would clear something up.

Zelos crossed his arms, red hair bobbing with the motions of his conversation. He kept quiet so not even Colette could hear him, "Are you a member of the Bryant household?"

"Yes." It was all Zelos needed to know. He had his suspicions from the very beginning, but was shocked that no one else seemed to know who he was. Sheena, at the very least, should have known something with all her Mizuho connections. Zelos knew Regal's crime, who he killed, and almost everything else—now it all made sense. He finally figured out the strange blue enigma.

"Please," Regal requested as he went to get Colette, "Do not tell the others. I will confess in due time."

"Yeah, sure." Zelos let him get away, watching as Colette skipped out of the boys' room. She made him go downstairs, probably so she could talk with the rest of the girls still up in the family room. Zelos pondered on a hollow question for a moment, _Did I do the right thing?_ He never used to think like this, but now was a case for something different. _Should I just let him do this at his own pace?_ He also thought about the strange Chosen that had attacked them today, wondering if he had done the right thing by killing him. Did he know about the corruption of the Martel Church? _Damn it, it's too much of a problem to be a good guy some times . . ._

Sheena snuck up behind Zelos, pulling on his read hair. He jumped, turning around to greet her. She rolled her eyes, "What, scared?"

Zelos resumed his usual cocky nature, "Never, babe. It's just that your touch is electric."

_Typical,_ Sheena thought. She wondered why she put up with him. She probably had hopes that one day he'd meet that one woman who would beat him into a normal person. Trying to focus on what she was going to say, she changed the pace of their conversation.

"Zelos, I just wanted to tell you something, and don't take this in the wrong way!", Sheena almost yelled at him, finally controlling her emotions. It wasn't fair to cut him down without giving him a chance. She calmed down, and then said, "What you did today was . . .really nice."

Zelos was shocked. She wasn't trying to kill him? He tried to get her to explain, almost pretending to be dumb, "And what was that?"

Sheena fumed, controlling her rage. She took a deep breath, sighing, "You know what I'm talking about, you idiot Chosen. The way you were helping Regal without anything to bribe you." She almost didn't add this on, but let it slip, "And, you kinda did save me, too."

He looked at her, almost blankly. Did she just give me a compliment? Ah, man! I'm on fire! Zelos laid back against the wall, another grin on his face, "Well, babe, the way I see this thing, it's like this:

I want you so bad,

You're gunna be mine,

'cause I think you're hot,

and pretty damn fine."

She shuddered. He was doing that stupid poem thing again! It was almost worthless trying to talk to him! Zelos knew he had something wrong when her face turned red with rage. He tried to apologize, "Oh, come on! I thought chicks loved to be serenaded!"

"There's being serenaded, and then there's being written on a bathroom door!" _Stupid chosen_, she growled to herself, _why do you have to love me? _Sheena stormed downstairs, deciding to go spend more time with the rest of the girls. At least they weren't gross when they talked about 'figures', unlike Zelos!

"Seriously! I'm sorry!" Zelos cried after her, rushing down the stairs to catch up with her. She loved playing around with his head, sometimes. Maybe she'd let him off the hook easy. Today, however, he was going to have to suffer a little bit more.

Raine met Zelos at the stair steps, a stern look on her face. He would have laughed if she didn't have such a serious expression, her hair still in freaky braids. She whispered, "Zelos, quiet down!" He smirked, muttering, "It's my own house. I can yell if I want." Out of nowhere, he was smacked on the head by her staff. She signaled into the family room, "Get Lloyd and Genis. You've got to see this."

Zelos went and fetched the other two, Genis's hair slicked up into a semi-Mohawk. Colette always did take Zelos just a little bit too seriously. Lloyd had flattened his hair back out, so he looked as scruffy as ever. Sneaking back down into Zelos's family room, Lloyd snorted in laughter.

Colette was never going to make it as a hairdresser—**never**. She had teased Regal's hair out, a periwinkle blue plume. She also tried braiding some of his hair, long braids occasionally breaking the bird hairdo. He looked like he had been spending the past years of his life half-stoned on a rock stage. It was blatantly obvious he was embarrassed, but she didn't catch on.

Sheena and Raine were snickering in the back, playing cards together. Presea store at Regal's hair like it was a crime scene. Genis was feeling a little bit better about his situation, but Zelos was still going to get what was coming to him. Zelos smirked, beautiful white teeth exposed. Lloyd was the only one who couldn't contain himself, biting back raging fits of laughter.

Regal was rather calm, considering his hair looked like the day after the apocalypse. He slyly spoke, "Problem, Goldilocks?"

Lloyd shook his head, "Nope, Axel Rose." Now, it was Zelos to succumb to his laughter, rolling on the ground. Colette still was oblivious, still picking through Regal's hair. Regal was like a wall of iron, ignoring the entire situation.

Genis got a little bit cocky, jumping up on the couch next to Colette, "Let's try this." He took another brush off the floor, and proceeded to help her in creating a masterpiece disaster. Raine shook her head, now standing up to join her brother. She consoled Regal, "Patience is a virtue." He tried hiding his eyes, too embarrassed for words.

"Oh for the love of Sylph," Sheena sighed, then put her cards down. She joined their insanity, taking a quick detour to kick Zelos in the shin. Perching on the couch's back, she suggested, "Maybe we need to get some gel?"

"That's quite enough," Regal finished nonchalantly, standing up. Colette crossed her arms, pouting like a three year old. Presea shook her head, patting what hair she could reach. She smiled, only saying one word, "Fluffy." Her smirk made Regal chuckle; it was good to see her happy, every once in a while.

Like a little queen, Colette ordered, "You sit back down, or I'll have to make you." Regal gave her a little glance; _Try me._ Spontaneously, she jumped off the couch, angel wings fluttering sparkles everywhere, and grabbed onto Regal by the shoulders. Zelos gave up, _Ah, what the hell_, and knocked both of them over. Lloyd jumped into the dog pile, determined now to pin Zelos down—Colette could take care of Regal. Presea, totally confused on the entire situation, shrugged and joined the mess. Raine and Genis wanted nothing to do with the rolling match on the ground, but Sheena drug them into the melee. It was like a giant group of puppies.

Sebastian, Zelos's servant, stepped in for one moment, seeing if the Chosen wanted anything. Noticing the wrestling match on the ground, he gave up. He never knew such a noble quite like Zelos who would be so down to earth. He closed the door, and then decided to go get a glass of wine. Those people would be at it all night long.

That night, they didn't sleep in their rooms. They dropped where they fell, curling up and taking positions on the couch and near the fireplace. It was too cute for words, Sheena cuddled next to Zelos and Colette sleeping on Lloyd's shoulder. Genis was curled next to his sister, who laid back on the couch in perfect slumber. Presea used Regal's back as a pillow, both sleeping next to the fireplace. It was like a little peace of heaven.

It was worth taking that poisoned dart just to be there, in the company of good friends.

---End---

Author's Note:

There you go, and Merry Christmas. May you find . . . something good. Holidays are awesome! (W00t for no school!)

Hope to do more Symphonia stories soon!

December 4-24, 2004 (So many 2s & 4s!)—Zelda's Fox 38


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